In the highly developed culture of Ancient Egypt, as well as in Ancient Greece, skin care was already looked upon as the basis and starting point of personal hygiene. This involved daily washing as well as the application of costly oils and balsams. These were kept in artistically ornamented oil-vessels.
In the Middle Ages, bathing was regarded as being not merely a means of personal hygiene but also as a form of health therapy. In addition to bathing facilities, public bath-houses numbered steam baths, hairdressing, shaving and blood-letting among the services on offer. However, towards the end of the 15th century, the custom of visiting public baths declined in popularity. The reasons for this are to be found in a new consciousness of shame as well as the fear of contagious diseases. For a time, bathing was even looked upon as being detrimental to one's health. In subsequent centuries, the importance of water in matters of hygiene was subject to continuous fluctuations. It was only in the 19th century that cleanliness was again elevated to the status of a virtue.
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